Page 111 of Square Deal

I looked down at the kitchen island. “What do you mean? Soup is good when you’re sick. Right?”

She cupped her hands over her mouth.

Hell no. If she vomited, I was out.

To my relief, she laughed. “Did you raid the soup aisle or something?” Her lips moved as she counted. “Isaac—there’s… there’s twenty-three bowls of soup! I didn’t even know I had that many bowls.”

I probably should have stopped when I pulled the last ceramic bowl out of the cabinet and had to hunt for mixing bowls, food storage containers, and anything that could hold a liquid. I nearly upturned one of her house plants and used the terra cotta pot to hold the last can of clam chowder, but decided against it.

What was a guy to do? This was new to me. When Spenser asked if Hannah liked classic chicken noodle or chicken noodle with the little pasta stars, I didn’t know.

So, I told him to have his guy pick up one of everything. I’d figure it out when the order got here.

Now, we had a buffet of soups, and only two of us to eat it.

Hannah giggled. “You did all this?”

I shrugged. “Spense worked his magic. I just kept your microwave on overdrive.”

She peered around, weighing the options before finally settling on a gravy boat full of chicken and gnocchi.Noted.

I handed her a spoon and helped myself to a mixing bowl of tomato bisque.

After Hannah finished eating, I traded her empty bowl for a bottle of cold medicine that I’d swiped from her bathroom cabinet.

She shook her head. “In a little bit.”

“Han,” I groaned. “C’mon. It’ll make you feel better.”

“I know,” she said, resting her head on my chest. “But it’ll make me sleepy.”

I wrapped my arms around her and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Princess, take the fucking medicine.”

“I never know when I’ll get to see you again or for how long. I don’t want to fall asleep mid-conversation when you’re actually here.” She bit down on her lip. “I miss you when you’re not here, and I count down the hours until I get to see you again. The little bits of time we get together are everything to me, and I feel empty as soon as you leave.”

She gutted me. Wrecked me. Those eyes—they destroyed every last defense I had.

I glanced at the clock on her oven. “It’s after midnight.”

“Just a few more minutes,” she pleaded.

The woman could ask for the moon, and I’d wrap it up in a big, shiny bow for her, but all she wanted was my time.

“Why don’t you go out without makeup on?” I asked when we were settled back in bed. The upside of her nose running like a track star was that it tabled my sex drive, and we could hold a conversation for longer than thirty seconds. “You look adorable,” I added, booping her nose.

Hannah rolled her eyes. “I look like I’m twelve,” she rasped, snuggling in closer. “I need people to take me seriously.”

I adjusted the pillow behind my head and murmured into her hair. “And they won’t take you seriously without all that on?”

She shrugged.

“I mean, don’t get me wrong—you’re a dime piece. But I think that about you whether you’re all made up or not.” I kissed the crown of her head. “I adore both sides of you, Han.”

“My mother would beg to differ,” she yawned.

I managed to wrangle her into knocking back a shot of cold medicine—thank fuck. She’d appreciate that in the morning.

I was in uncharted territory. I had never gone this long without going to a strip club. Hell, I hadn’t talked to any other woman except the ones who worked for me.

---